"We are deeply honored by the tribute Union Pacific has given to Scouting through the creation of the commemorative locomotive," said Bob Mazzuca, the BSA’s Chief Scout Executive. "We also owe a great deal of gratitude to our UP employee Scouting alumni base, which has spearheaded the movement to create the UP No. 2010. Their efforts mean that for years to come, the locomotive will serve as a reminder of the impact millions of Scouts have had on this country for 100 years."

The locomotive bears the familiar BSA fleur-de-lis, the BSA 2010 logo, the words “100 Years of Scouting,” 10 emblems representing the different stages of Scouting, and the 2010 National Scout Jamboree logo.

The locomotive looks great, but it wasn’t designed to sit still. The 207-ton vehicle will haul cargo across America at speeds that reach 75 miles per hour. It’ll carry freight from Chicago, Dallas, Houston and Marion, Ark., to West Coast facilities in Los Angeles, Northern California, and the Pacific Northwest.

Keep an eye out—perhaps you’ll see it chugging through your city one day. In the meantime, this is the perfect opportunity to get your Boy Scouts excited about the Railroading merit badge. To earn it, they’ll learn about railroading industry and discover how trains work.

And if you’ll be at the jamboree this summer, watch for members of the Mid-America Council, who will be wearing special Union Pacific shoulder patches. Each patch features a different UP locomotive, and when all of them are combined, they form what looks like the front of a steam engine.

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Bryan on Scouting is the official blog of Scouting magazine, a Boy Scouts of America publication. Scouting magazine is published five times a year and is received by 1 million registered adult volunteers.